Presence of mercury in hydrocarbon streams can cause problems with upstream and downstream processing units as well as health and environmental issues. Removal of the mercury to achieve acceptable levels presents problems with prior techniques. Fixed bed sorbent applications for crude oil and heavy hydrocarbons tend to foul and become plugged. Prior sorbent particles utilized in fluidized bed applications still require separation of the particles from treated fluids. Such separation procedures rely on filtration that results in similar clogging issues as encountered with the fixed bed sorbent applications.
Therefore, a need exists for improved methods and systems for removing mercury from fluids.